In Jewish interpretation prayer is a mitzvah, a duty incumbent on all humans, whether Jew or Gentile, man or woman, slave or free. As with all mitzvot, prayer is beneficial to us; whether our specific petitions are granted or not, we are rewarded for the simple act of praying itself. Prayer is one way for us to store up “Treasures in Heaven” {Matthew 6:20}. To pray is to have an encounter with YHVH, to connect with Him, and to commune with Him. Prayer is worthwhile and important whether we have personal requests to make or not. There are two main aspects of Jewish prayer: service and petition. “Service” in Hebrew is “avodah” -- this word connotes the duties of the priests who ministered in the Tabernacle and in the Temple. In our prayer we perform a labour on behalf of YHVH. The word in Hebrew for “sacrifice” is “korban” which comes from a root meaning “to draw near.” By serving Elohiym in prayer, we draw near to Him, and that process sanctifies and purifies us. We come away from prayer changed and renewed. The Hebrew word for prayer is “Tefillah” which comes from the verb “lehitpalel”. The literal meaning based on its root is “to judge oneself.” This demonstrates the introspection and self-awareness that should accompany our approach to our Creator. We come as we are, laying aside any pretence or self-delusion. Yeshua taught us about the humble self-judgment that YHVH favours in our praying in His parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector {Luke 18:11–14}. In Messianic Judaism we consider Yeshua to be a Mediator in prayer. A mediator is one who brings two parties together, reconciling the two and eliminating the distance and barriers between them. If we ask YHVH for something in Yeshua’s Name, we are asking Him to respond to us because of our association with Yeshua. In a way, we are merely the messenger; the request truly belongs to Him. When we ask in Yeshua’s Name, it is not as though Yeshua is pleading on our behalf; rather, we are pleading on His behalf: “In that day you will ask in My Name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself Loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from YHVH.” {John 16:26–27}